Just an observation

[Curtis Dawson]

After almost 5 decades of snorkeling I will be taking my OW cert class. But I have an observation that I wish to share with the group. Most everyone I have met in this sport is friendly and supportive. Like all sports ego's sometimes get played out, but that is human nature. What i do find a bit dis-heartening is the sense of economic class distinction. The majority of those who spend a good bit of time on the week ends hanging out at my local dive shop are in the upper income levels. I do not have any problem with what a person has or earns. But when the atmosphere is such that unless you can afford at least one or more out of country dive trips a year then you must not be serious about diving it can become discouraging.
I do not mean to offend others with this post but please realize that for many of us this is a dream we are having to make many sacrafices to fufill. And that due to our income levels we may have to take longer to achieve our goals and that a out of country dive trip will at best be a once every five to ten year or more adventure.

 

[rhwestfall]

I know what you mean... but, seeing that I only have to cross a bridge to get to another country (Canada), I just thumb my nose at the "eletist travel snobs"... I dive international at least a half a dozen times a year...:cool2:

(P.S. - I've been to warm water twice in 25 years of diving)

 

[EastEndDiver]

Why do you care what other people think? Do what makes you happy and if it is diving then dive wherever you want.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

After almost 5 decades of snorkeling I will be taking my OW cert class. But I have an observation that I wish to share with the group. Most everyone I have met in this sport is friendly and supportive. Like all sports ego's sometimes get played out, but that is human nature. What i do find a bit dis-heartening is the sense of economic class distinction. The majority of those who spend a good bit of time on the week ends hanging out at my local dive shop are in the upper income levels. I do not have any problem with what a person has or earns. But when the atmosphere is such that unless you can afford at least one or more out of country dive trips a year then you must not be serious about diving it can become discouraging.
I do not mean to offend others with this post but please realize that for many of us this is a dream we are having to make many sacrafices to fufill. And that due to our income levels we may have to take longer to achieve our goals and that a out of country dive trip will at best be a once every five to ten year or more adventure.

That attitude is what is killing dive shops and the industry. Not yours but the people in the shop. Those of us whose majority of diving is local are often more skilled, better diving educated, own more gear, and provide far more support to local shops. Vacation divers usually don't buy tanks, drysuits, multiple regs, lights, etc.. So take comfort in being what many of us consider to be a diver. Not an underwater tourist. I prefer to train people like you who will likely dive locally and support me and the other shops I work with to produce skilled safe divers who dive locally.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[WVRICK]

I have noticed that there is a group of people with a lot of money who buy the most expensive equipment and go to the high dollar areas. I have also noticed that they are often the ones who have the worst diving skills. When I was on a trip I got partnered with someone who had about $6K of equipment and although I was just certified I was afraid for his safety because he was totally unaware of where he was and what was going on around him. After 15 minutes I called the dive and explained to my buddy and the DM that I did not feel safe diving with him and I would not continue to do so. The response from the DM was, you are the one who decides your safety, my buddy remarked that was stupid because he had a lot better equipment than me.

Although I am making a trip to Largo to get back into the swing of things I will be doing local dives too and will hopefully get a chance to get some training from Jim. We poor guys go on diving vacations out of the country but we tend to make fewer trips, stay at less fancy resorts and cook for ourselves except for maybe one good meal out. I have it worked out so I can go to Bonaire, stay a week to ten days and spend half of what my sister spends at Myrtle Beach being a land tourist after an 8 hour drive.

 

[Skittl1321]

The instructors/DM at our local shop talk often about their trips all around the world (Thailand, Kenya, Fiji, etc); but the dive shop sponsors semi-affordable trips to places like Cozumel and the Great Lakes. There really isn't local diving around here, just a quarry to practice in. But they talk about Midwest wreck diving just as highly as tropical warm water diving.

It's all about what you prefer as a diver. Heck, even if I want to snorkel, I'm going to have to go on a vacation to do it.

I think the only reason you 'aren't serious' as a diver if you don't go on these trips, is if you aren't an active local diver you just can't get your dive counts up high enough to be 'serious'. You're a vacation diver. I totally plan to be a vacation diver. The Great Lakes are cold.

 

[WVRICK]

The instructors/DM at our local shop talk often about their trips all around the world (Thailand, Kenya, Fiji, etc); but the dive shop sponsors semi-affordable trips to places like Cozumel and the Great Lakes. There really isn't local diving around here, just a quarry to practice in. But they talk about Midwest wreck diving just as highly as tropical warm water diving.

It's all about what you prefer as a diver. Heck, even if I want to snorkel, I'm going to have to go on a vacation to do it.

I think the only reason you 'aren't serious' as a diver if you don't go on these trips, is if you aren't an active local diver you just can't get your dive counts up high enough to be 'serious'. You're a vacation diver. I totally plan to be a vacation diver. The Great Lakes are cold.

Agreed, I wouldn't want to dive the Great Lakes either. I am fortunate to have warm water locally. The closest spot is boat diving only so I hope my friend with the boat soon feels good enough to hit the lake.

Like I said, if you shop carefully you can find cheap airfare and lodging in tropical locations. Maybe you could even put together group trips and get comped for a lot of your expenses.

 

[BUDMANOK]

three words "credit card points"

find the right one charge everything to them pay them off every month

we stayed for 5 days in curacao on hotel points and just recently 2 flights to GC on points

 

[grantwiscour]

Funny situation in that dive shop. I tend to look at the folks who only dive tropical locales as the ones who aren't "as serious of divers". It sounds like the folks you are talking about should quit hanging out at the dive shops talking about diving and actually go diving. Get away from those pretentious kooks and make some friends with folks that will help you develop as a diver.

Being land-locked in DFW we love to go places with blue water and palm trees but the reality of the situation is that we want to dive. Local diving has been the key to my wife and me improving our skills.

Our dive club, North Texas Dive Society does a lot of local diving. We have divers of all backgrounds and styles, some GUE w/BPW, some newbies, instructors, etc. It's a laid back group that loves to dive. There is a group at Lake Murray this weekend. If interested, you can find more info about NTDS on "the facebook".

Best of luck on your OW cert.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I enjoy local diving and international travel. Some years we do three trips. SOme years we do one or zero. Trips vary a lot as to cost What is important is to be as active a diver as you can be. However, I think it is worth while to have as varied a dive experience as possible. 100 dives in the local quarry or reservoir are dandy, but there is something nice about seeing more wildlife, both moving and a part of the reef. Plan and choose your trips wisely. A trip the Florida keys can be very economical and the diving is great, especially for beginners. Not all dive trips have to be to Indonesia or Fiji. We have a favorite spot in Mexico (NOT Cozumel) that is also very reasonable, uncrowded, and the diving is great. And there are some Caribbean destinations that will run specials that will save you a lot of money. Rich people do not all suck, local divers can be snobbish in their own, and if you want to be a scuba snob in a good way, remember, per our books, that a scuba snobs is an avid and active diver who loves everything about diving and has worked hard to acquire and maintain competent diving skills and good diving habits. A scuba snobs exercises and demonstrates those skills when diving and expects others to do the same.
I am not rick- I blew ll my money on scuba trips and scuba gear. No need to be arrogant if you have money or travel alot. There is room in scuba for everyone- even Jim L.
DivemasterDennis